


dream come true

by fictionalrobin



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Good Boyfriend Alec Lightwood, Good Parent Asmodeus (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, OOC Asmodeus, Sad Magnus Bane, Tea, This is Bad, he actually tries, i mean u can not but like its gonna make the most sense if u do, i should sort this as a series but i can't be bothered, its not as good as the first one but i tried and I'm TIRED, the first fic is called humble protector go read that first, the usual, yes this is a sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 03:39:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15306663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionalrobin/pseuds/fictionalrobin
Summary: the odd occasion where Asmodeusu actually shows up with pretty good timing





	dream come true

**Author's Note:**

> HEY DUDE GO READ MY FIC HUMBLE PROTECTOR FIRST THEN THIS SHIT IS GONNA MAKE SOME MORE SENSE I GUESS

Magnus was scared.  

The walls screeched around him, louder than metal scraping over metal. His breath was heavy and labored. It felt like he was choking. Like no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get air into his lounges.  

He couldn't move.  

The air was thick like syrup, and his feet were sinking into the floor. He was _drowning_. Not it water, but in something else. Something warm. Something heavy. Something like melted glass and lava. He tried to scream but didn't have the breath to do so.  

Where were his friends? Why weren't they helping him? Did he even have any friends anymore?  

There was no one he could ask.  

No one to help him.  

He was alone. 

And then something grabbed him.   

Something from beneath. A hand. Pulling him deeper into the thick liquid. Blinding panic grabbed his body and he screamed. He screamed but it was strangled by an invisible lump in his throat, and there was nothing he could do. He flailed his arms around, desperately searching for something to grab. He tried to get away, he really did, but the more he moved, the faster he sank.  

His arms became heavier and heavier. The thick claustrophobic liquid reached his ears and he stopped be able to breath completely. With his last desperate breath, he gurgled out a scream. Before he was dragged into the depths.  

- 

Magnus gasped. He sat up straight and panted into the cold night. His heart hammered so hard it felt like it was trying to shatter his ribs. He scrunched up the sheets in his fist and closed his eyes. He took a few deep breaths, trying to let the panic leak out of his lounges. Alec snored away next to him, and outside the cars drew past. He was okay. He was in his room, in his bed. There was no melting floor. There was no monster dragging him screaming and crying into the suffocating depths. There was just him, Alec and the moon. 

A nightmare.  

He'd had a nightmare.  

It'd been a long time since he'd had a nightmare. The last time was after the body-swap incident, but that had been more like one long awaken-nightmare. Hallucinations, flashbacks, paranoia. This had been a totally ordinary good old classic nightmare, just like the ones you get as a kid. The kind you don't have to be a warlock with a traumatic past to have.  

Ridiculous.  

He slumped back into the sheets. Alec grumbled and twisted next to him.  At least he was still asleep. Magnus hadn't ruined his night as well. He rolled over and pressed himself against Alec's warm chest. Okay, it's okay now, you can go back to sleep.  

He closed his eyes.  

 _Screaming, gurgling. Heat creeping up his thighs, burning his skin, that awful feeling of loneliness and something digging into his calf. No. Not something. Someone. A hand holding him in a deathtrap and_ _pulli_ _-_  

No. No no no stop. Calm down. Jesus Christ.  

Stupid heart.  

He groaned and sat up. It was obvious that he wasn't getting any sleep tonight. Not right away at least. There was no reason to stay here, tossing and turning and risking waking up Alec.  

He shifted to the edge of the bed.  

Maybe he should make himself some tea. If he remembered correctly, there was still a bit of valerian tea left in the cupboard. And besides, if that didn't help, he could always borrow some of Alec's pain medication. Catarina had prescribed them for his wrist to help him sleep, and Alec was really only supposed to use it in the beginning, when the bones where still healing. It usually knocked Alec out right away, so Magnus guessed it would work for him as well, even if he hadn't broken his wrist recently. Besides Alec rarely used it anymore, so it wasn't like he'd notice if Magnus took some.  

He snuck out of the bedroom, doing his best to conjure up his inner ninja and not creak the door behind him. Alec just rolled over. It probably wouldn't have made such a difference whether Magnus had been in ninja-mode or not. Based on Alec's snores, his wrist had been bothering him that night. Magnus smiled before he slipped into the kitchen, his socks sweeping over the polished wooden floor.  

When he entered the kitchen, he flicked his wrist and waited for the electric kettle to boil when-oh 

Oh yeah 

Great, and now he was just sad.  

He slumped over to the kettle and pressed the button. Totally ordinary good old classic pressed the button. Like a mundane. Which was what he was now after all. He was a mundie. He'd have to get used to it at some point.  

He scoffed 

Funny. Being mundane used to be his only wish. Guess he hadn’t realized how much he relied on his magic. What it meant to have it pounding through his veins like a second pulse. A sigh escaped his nose, and he let his pointer finger brush over the veins of his wrist.  

God. 

He felt so empty.  

The kettle clicked next to him and he took it off the stand, pouring the steaming water into a mug and putting it back. After a bit of rummaging he did actually manage to find a very dusty jar of valerian he'd forgotten about. He popped the lid off and took a whiff, a soft bittersweet scent assaulting his nose.  

Good. Valerian was supposed to be bitter.  

There were only about a tablespoon left, so he sprinkled half of the herbs in his water and watched it float to the bottom. He stirred it with a spoon until it turned honey brown and the leaves danced in big lazy loops. It was still too hot to drink though. He'd grab a book and read in the Livingroom. Hopefully that would tire him out.  

The tea wobbled inside the mug as he picked it off the counter and carefully carried it across the kitchen. He'd maybe put in a bit more than necessary, and if he spilled, he'd definitely burn himself.  

"why are you still up?"  

He jumped. The tea shook and spilled, drenching his wrist and hands. Hot pain trickled down his skin and he jumped again, causing even more liquid to spill and burn his flesh.  

"be careful!" Asmodeus got up from the couch and stretched his fingers out to take the cup from him, "it's hot."  

" _you think so?_ " Magnus hissed at his father and stepped away before he could take the mug from him. 

Asmodeus sighed and took a step backwards, "sorry."  

Magnus glared and put the cup down on a random bookshelf. Thankfully, the window was open and the cold night air was already cooling down his skin. He shook his hands to dry the last of the tea away and wiped his palms in his sweatpants.  

"what are you doing here?" He whispered.  

Asmodeus shrugged, "I just wanted to say hello."  

Magnus stared at his father. He was wearing a dark fitted suit with broad triangular shoulder pads and a wine-red tie. It wasn't the usual attire you found people running around in at two am, but then again, he was a demon. Did demons sleep? Magnus guessed they didn't. He, at least, had never seen his father sleep.  

"it's the middle of the god damn night."  

"yes," Asmodeus looked at the floor, "well I uh...I didn't realize. Edom doesn't really have a time zone. Or any time at all for that matter. Most of the time I just read your energy and wing it." 

Wing it. Guess that's what he'd been doing yesterday. Magnus still hadn't really processed everything. The fight. The sudden explosion. The embarrassment. But also Asmodeus's insecure fiddling and his offer to do better as a father.  

Maybe that's what he was trying to do now? 

Magnus sighed. He had promised to let Asmodeus into his life again. To at least let him try. He'd come here because he cared, and not to be annoying, Magnus had to remember that.  

"it's okay," Magnus slumped over to the couch and dumped into the stiff pillows.  

Asmodeus stayed by the bookshelf, observing him quietly, before he hesitantly shuffled to the couch, "are you okay?"  

Magnus shrugged, "yeah, I just couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare."  

Asmodeus frowned and sat next to Magnus, "well that doesn't sound good. What was it about."  

"I'm not quite sure," Magnus shook his head, "it was stupid. I think something was trying to drown me...not in water, in something else, but...I don't know."  

Asmodeus shifted a little on the couch. Just a tiny bit. There was a tense silence between them, where it almost seemed like Asmodeus was holding his breath.  

"you..." Asmodeus finally broke the silence, but it didn't make anything less tense, "I could help you sleep, like I did when you were little?"  

Magnus's back straightened. What? He didn't remember Asmodeus helping him sleep while they lived together. Of course, he'd come into his room if he had a nightmare, but he'd left almost immediately after making sure Magnus wasn't being murdered or something like that. Over all he'd been a distant father in those years. Not the type of parent that'd sing you a lullaby and kiss your teddy goodnight.   

Then what kind of help was he talking about? 

"what do you mean?"  

Asmodeus blinked, "oh," then he smiled softly, "of course. You don't remember. You were so tiny, probably about three or so."  

Had Asmodeus been with him when he was that small? He couldn't remember anything. At least not of importance. Except for maybe... 

Wait.  

A dark figure. He remembered a dark figure. And...something warm. But he thought that'd just been a dream? A very strange and lifelike dream, but a nice one.  

"that was you?" Magnus turned to Asmodeus. 

"yes," Asmodeus replied, "I know you have your doubts about me Magnus, and you're right to do so. But I've always looked out for you. And I always will."  

Magnus blinked in surprise at the upmost sincerity in Asmodeus's voice. He didn't really know if he should find this creepy or endearing. But it didn't seem like Asmodeus had had bad intentions. Like Alec had said, he clearly cared, even if he had a slightly misguided way of showing it.  

"I...what did you do...when you helped me fall asleep, I mean?"  

"it was pretty simple," Asmodeus explained, "a very mild sedative spell. Really just an advanced form of reiki. Lay down." He patted his lap, and Magnus hesitantly put his head down. Asmodeus rubbed his fingers together a few times, and a soft blue glow danced between them.  

Magnus's heart clenched.  

But before Magnus could mope further into jealousy, Asmodeus carefully placed one hand on Magnus's temple and gently brushed it down his nape. Warm energy flowed into Magnus's neck, making him gasp a little before he completely relaxed. A grounding peacefulness settled in his stomach, and muscles he didn't even know he'd been tensing finally relaxed.  

"see? there we go," hummed Asmodeus as he stroked his hand over Magnus's ear, so he could hear the tingly swish of magic, "there we go."  

Magnus sighed and closed his eyes. It felt unlike any type of magic he'd ever felt. Or well, apparently he had felt it before, he'd just forgotten. It felt kinda like an energy transfer. But not any normal energy transfer. Those were sizzling and warm like boiling champagne. they filled your veins with fireworks, until you felt like you just snorted pure caffeine. This was different. It felt more like warm water, gently immerging your body.  

And it was so much better than valerian tea.  

Asmodeus shifted a little under him, and began to work his hands into Magnus's hair, "are you comfortable?"  

"mmm..."  

"good," Asmodeus continued stroking his hands over Magnus's scalp, before he made a soft sound, "oh, I've missed this. I used to do this to you all the time, you looked so cute back then you know? So tiny..." 

"mmmm..."  

"and now you're all grown up. My beautiful boy." 

Magnus wanted to roll his eyes. However, warm energy was still massaging all his muscles, and it made it a little hard to think straight.  

"I used to tell you a story too sometimes, do you want me to do that now?"  

"nhmm..."  

Asmodeus let out another amused noise, that probably would've embarrassed Magnus, if he hadn't been so sleepy.  

"well then," Asmodeus cleared his throat, making his abdomen muscles clench next to Magnus, "a long time ago, far into the jungle lived a mouse deer. Many animals wanted to eat the tiny mouse deer, but it didn't matter, because he was smart and sly. One day, a hungry tiger walked through the jungle. When he came across the little mouse deer, his stomach rumbled, and he pounced on the deer. ' _Hello little mouse deer'_ he said ' _I am very hungry, and now you will be my lunch'_." 

Magnus repressed a laugh. Asmodeus's story-telling really had the whole package, complete with voice-acting and illustrative hand gestures across Magnus's skin.  

"the Mouse deer shook in fear, but he didn't lose his wit. Close by, he spotted a huge buffalo dung, and quickly came up with a plan. ' _No Tiger,'_ the Mouse deer said with a knowing smirk, ' _you cannot eat me, for I have been tasked by the king to guard his cake!'_ The tiger hesitated at this, ' _his cake?'_ " 

Magnus smiled. He knew what came up next. He'd heard the story before. It'd been a while since he'd had it told like this though, but he still remembered it well enough.  

"' _yes, his cake_ ,' the Mouse deer continued, ' _it is the most delicious cake in all the lands!' 'oh please little Mouse deer!'_ The tiger begged, _'can I taste it?' 'no Tiger, the king would be very angry!'_ Said the Mouse deer strictly. _'I'll just have a little bite,'_  said the Tiger, _'the king won't know any better.'_ The mouse deer pretended to consider it, before he nodded, _'okay then, but at least let me run away first, so if the king finds out he won't be_ _blame_ _me_ _..._ " 

Magnus's lungs were suddenly heavier than they were before. His breath flowed easily with the magic, and for each breath he took, Asmodeus's words got more and more fuzzy. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake for much longer, not even till the end of the story. But it didn't really matter. He knew the rest of it. The valerian tea was probably too bitter by now, and he'd wasted his last supply. But it wasn't like he needed it anyways, so that could be the same.  

The last thing he heard before he fell asleep was the faint sound of Asmodeus's deep dramatic tiger-voice saying something about water. 

- 

When Alec woke up, he immediately noticed two things. One: he was cold, and two: he was alone. Now these things may or may not be correlated, but who is he to say. He was just a humble man awakened at three am because his boyfriend wasn't there.  

His boyfriend wasn't there.  

Alec blinked and rubbed his sticky eyes. His eyelashes clung together like gum, and he could practically hear them separating. Soft moonlight snuck in through the curtain and highlighted Magnus's empty side of the sheets like a spotlight.  

Alec sat up, finally more awake.  

What the hell?  

Where was Magnus?  

He furrowed his sleepy brow and slid out the bed onto the cold cold floor. Jesus Christ. What was Magnus even thinking, getting up at this hour? Was he okay? Why didn't he just wake up Alec?  

He rubbed his temple and headed to the door. Had he really been that asleep? He was usually a light sleeper, but he had taken one of those super-Advils Catarina had given him, before he brushed his teeth, so that might've changed the game.  

He was about to push the door open, when the signals from his ears finally made their way through his thick skull and into his sticky brain.  

Voices.  

Or rather a voice. Or maybe two voices. Or three. He wasn't sure, but however many there were, he was definitely awake now. He straightened his back, all his shadowhunter-bells ringing in alarm, as he snuck closer to the door, and cracked it open until he could peek into the Livingroom. 

What he saw almost made him question whether or not he was awake after all.  

On the couch were two figures, dimly lit by the moonlight. One of them was unmistakably his missing boyfriend, with flat hair and bare face, one leg dangling off to the side. His breathing was heavy and whistled softly through his parted lips.  

The other person was Asmodeus.  

The king of hell was sitting on his couch, as always dressed to impress in a muted elegant suit with gentle details shining in the moonlight. His dark hair fell across his face as he looked down at his son.  

Who was lying in his lap.  

A position Alec had never thought he'd find the two of them in.  

Strange.  

He forced his shoulders to relax and decided to just observe for a bit. See what the hell Asmodeus was up to, kidnapping his boyfriend in the middle of a nice slumber.  

He didn't really know what to think of Asmodeus to be quite honest. At first, he'd seen him as any other greater demon. Mean. Evil minded. A sinister psychopath with no care for anyone but himself. And judging by Magnus's description of him, he'd been right.  

But that was before he showed up in that warehouse.   

That was before Alec saw the way he looked at Magnus, and the way he treaded around him, with a carefulness he'd never seen anyone treat Magnus with. Yes, he was still a greater demon. Yes, he'd hurt Magnus in the past.  

But maybe, he'd never intended to.  

Asmodeus stroked two softly glowing fingers across Magnus's cheekbone. He spoke in a quiet voice, that ranged from a soothing narrator, to a low growling, and then a high-pitched squeaking. It sounded like he was telling a story of some kind. Either that, or Asmodeus just had a very strange way of talking to himself. It was told in a language Alec didn't understand, so he couldn't decide. 

As he watched, Asmodeus's fingers lit up. It wasn't anything big, just a tiny spark falling from his already shinning fingertips. Nothing to get worked up about. Yet it was enough to make Alec gasp and step backwards. The floorboard creaked beneath his heal, and he swore he'd never heard any floor creak as loud in his life.  

Asmodeus heard it too.  

His voice stilled, and he sat up straight. His glowing eyes scanned the room, and the hand in front of Magnus's nose curled into a fist.  

"who dares..." 

Alec's reflexes kicked in, and he immediately stepped forward, before Asmodeus could blow up his Livingroom.  

"it's just me." 

Asmodeus's hands relaxed.  

"oh," he blinked a couple of times before his glamour flickered back up, "hello Alec."  

Alec shifted his weight from one foot to another, looking down as the floor creaked yet again. He really should ask Magnus to do something about that.  

"what are you doing up at this hour?"  

Alec looked back up at Asmodeus on the couch. The king of hell was still looking at him, his slim dark eyes seemed to swallow up the floor beneath him, and suddenly he was sweating.  

It hadn't occurred to him until now who exactly Asmodeus was. He wasn't just a greater demon. He was _the_ greater demon. The one and only king of them all. If he didn't like Alec, he could just crush him under the heal of his shiny shoe. And there was nothing Alec could do about it. Nothing anyone could do about it.  

"I...uh....couldn't sleep," he shuffled a little. 

Asmodeus's hand paused in the middle of its descend into Magnus's hair, "I see," he looked down at Magnus again. His eyelashes fluttered softly were they rested on his cheekbones. He must be dreaming something nice.  

"you weren't not the only one."  

Alec tilted his head at the softness in Asmodeus's voice. The greater demon didn't continue. He stroked his hand over Magnus's sleeping face, this time without magic illuminating them. There was a certain careful love to his movements. Like Magnus was the most precious thing he knew, and he was afraid of breaking him.  

It made Alec a little calmer. Not by a lot, but enough for him to carefully sneak to the couch.  

"what happened?" 

"he had a nightmare," Asmodeus said. The movement of his hand didn't stop, "he's okay now though."  

Alec smiled, "good." The cold night air swept in through the window and curled around his naked feet like an icy snake. He shifted his stance in an attempt to keep his blood-flow alive.  

"but I think it would be best if we went back to bed now."  

Asmodeus looked up at him and nodded. Alec carefully bend down to pick Magnus up. He was a little heavy, and warm like a space heater. Alec carefully tucked his head under his own chin, and headed for the bedroom.  

"Alec."  

A hand on his arm stopped him. He couldn't help but tense under the touch. Asmodeus's hand was warm and textured like wood. The single titanium ring on his ring finger froze Alec's skin in contrast. 

"thank you."  

Alec looked at the demon. He wanted to say more. Alec could see it in his eyes. That thank you was meant to mean something more.  

But he didn't say anything. He didn't have to.  

Alec gave him a firm nod and hoped he understood. 

Asmodeus smiled and nodded back. Then he stepped backwards and gathered his cane, before disappearing in a red puff of smoke.  

Alec blinked the tiny particles of soot out of his eyes. Then he turned around and carried his boyfriend back to bed.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> this pacing is so bad


End file.
